Butler’s role to increase under Garrett

The second-year outside linebacker played more than usual in last weekend’s win over the Giants because Cowboys interim head coach Jason Garrett and interim defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni like Butler’s playmaking ability and want to do a better job in the final eight games keeping starters DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer fresh.

Butler’s highlights against New York included stopping Brandon Jacobs on a screen pass for a 1-yard gain on second-and-10 from the Dallas 37-yard line and pressuring Eli Manning while he attempted to recover a bad snap in the fourth quarter that Spencer ended up recovering.

“He played a pretty decent number of snaps,” Garrett said. “What that allows you to do is bring (Ware or Spencer) back in and have them go 100 miles an hour. And, obviously, when Spencer and D-Ware are doing that, they’re pretty darn good pass rushers.”

Garrett praised Butler for the work he did on sniffing out the screen to Jacobs.

“Vic did a nice job on a screen,” Garrett said. “They had a chance to get something going. They threw a screen to Brandon Jacobs on the left-hand side, and (Butler) did a good job of rushing and coming back and making the play.

“He’s a playmaking-type guy, and to get some quality snaps from him is important to us.”

The increased role is a boost to Butler’s morale.

“It makes you want to do better,” Butler said. “It makes you want to go out and practice harder. You got 10 plays this game, so if you practice well, maybe you’ll 15 plays. It kind of motivates you.”